Otero J.C. women's basketball sweeps tournament

The Otero Junior College women's basketball team won both of its games by wide margins at the Hampton Inn Classic this past weekend at the McDivitt Center.

The Lady Rattlers defeated the OJC All-Stars 81-48 on Friday and they scored a 78-40 win over the Adams State University junior varsity on Saturday.

"We came out and executed and did what we're supposed to do," said OJC coach Kyle Spencer. "The girls played our game the right way. We simply played the way we need to win."

The OJC All-Stars scored the first basket of the game, but it was all Lady Rattlers the rest of the way. OJC led 8-4 when it went on a 14-0 run to go in front at 22-4. The Lady Rattlers continued to build on the lead and they ended the first half with an 18-0 run to take a 47-15 lead into the half.

Otero continued its run into the second half and took its largest lead of the game at 69-29 with 11:43 left in the game.

The OJC All-Stars closed to within 78-48 late in the game, but could come no closer.

The Lady Rattlers had three players score in double figures. Chantal Cross led the team with 16 points and Holly Carter and Sarah Pigg both scored 12.

OJC had a 49-33 rebounding edge and was led by Brittany Gutierrez and LaShai Powells both with seven.

Carter led in assists with nine and Danica Shipley led in steals with three.

The Lady Rattlers fell behind the Adams State JV early by a 10-5 margin, but the rest of the game was all OJC as the Lady Rattlers went on a 12-2 run to take a 19-12 advantage.

OJC continued the rally for the rest of the first half, leading 31-19 at the intermission.

The Lady Rattlers dominated in the second half as a 20-0 run gave them a 57-31 lead. Their largest lead was a 28-point margin on two occasions.

Shipley led the Lady Rattlers with 20 points, followed by Gutierrez with 13 and Savannah Bewley with 12.

Otero outrebounded the Lady Grizzlies 49-30. Siu Lo'amanu led in rebounding with seven.

Carter again was the assists leader with six and Gutierrez led in steals with two.

Otero (5-2) will travel to Goodland, Kan., today to face Northwest Technical College. It will be the third meeting this year between the two teams.

"This will be the third time we've seen them," Spencer said. "We've seen them on a neutral court and once on our home court and now we'll have them once away. More than anything, it's going to be what we do. It's not going to matter what other teams do. If we do what we're supposed to do and are disciplined and execute the right way, we'll get a win. If we don't, it will be a dogfight all the way to the end of the game."

Lamar also sweepsLamar Community College also competed at the Hampton Inn Classic. The Lady Runnin' Lopes defeated the Adams State JV 80-78 and the OJC All-Stars 82-48.